Menstrual Cycle Tracking Guide
Do you know when your next period is coming? While it may be tempting—and totally relatable—to want to ignore it completely, we promise that being prepared can really help manage your symptoms.
Why Track Your Menstrual Cycle?
While avoiding an unwelcome surprise is most peoples’ motivation when cycle tracking, the truth is that there’s so much more to your menstrual cycle than just your bleed week. Between moodiness and bloating the week before your period, potential ovulation cramping, and other hormonal shifts throughout the month, the impact of your menstrual cycle is a reality worth facing.
Whether your cycle is completely regular or not, tracking it is the first step in gaining a deeper understanding of your body—and in taking control.
The Benefits of Cycle Tracking
A menstrual cycle tracking chart can be beneficial in many ways:
Predict Your Period: Know when it’s coming to be prepared–spot patterns in mood, energy, and pain to mitigate them before they happen.
Plan Around Your Cycle: Schedule workouts, your social life, and lazy days accordingly.
Improve Hormonal Health: Tracking helps identify irregularities or hormonal imbalances.
Prevent & Manage Pain: Recognizing when period symptoms may start allows you to take action before they peak.
Considerations When Tracking Your Cycle
Of course, everybody’s cycle is different, and even your own cycle may vary month to month! When tracking your cycle, here are some considerations:
Cycle Length Variations: Not everyone will have a 28-day cycle every month, and that can be totally normal!
Cycle Regularity: Certain lifestyle factors—like diet, stress, and birth control— can impact cycle regularity.
All In Good Time: It can take a few months to start to understand your cycle. Be patient and stick with it!
Our Free Menstrual Cycle Tracking Chart
To help you feel empowered in your body, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide to tracking your menstrual cycle. You’ll need a calendar and a calculator… or the Wave Bye cycle tracking app, coming soon!